


Love Sickness

by littleoneparakeet



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, Mpreg, Past Mpreg, Post Mpreg, references to rape
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:48:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 15,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29387943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleoneparakeet/pseuds/littleoneparakeet
Summary: As Shane recovers from his alcoholism, he finds himself falling for the man who gave him a helping hand down the path toward healing.
Relationships: Harvey/Shane (Stardew Valley)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	1. Chapter 1

It was a typical Saturday night for Harvey. Once again, he had been called to pick up Shane from the Stardrop Saloon due to his dangerous level of intoxication so that he could observe the man and make sure he didn’t need his stomach pumped. Harvey really wished that someone would do something about Shane’s overindulgence. Perhaps Marnie could rid her home of alcohol and ban it from the household. Perhaps Gus could refuse to serve him. Perhaps the farmer that had moved in recently could stop gifting him beer in order to try and win his friendship. Perhaps Shane could decide to be a good influence on his goddaughter. But no one seemed to want to do anything about the situation, so, as always, Harvey was left to pick up the pieces.  
  
Harvey led a stumbling Shane back to the clinic, allowing the man to lean heavily on him. As usual, Shane didn’t speak. Shane wasn’t a man of many words, and whether that was due to a level of shyness or simply a bad attitude, Harvey wasn’t sure. Perhaps there was something deeper to the man’s unwillingness to communicate, but Shane would never open up to him, so Harvey was left in the dark. More than once, he had slipped the business card of a psychologist in Zuzu City into Shane’s pocket, but it seemed that Shane had never decided to bite the bullet and call her.

When they arrived at the clinic, Harvey helped Shane into bed, tucking him in as he always did. The man _reeked_ of alcohol, as well as body odor. He clearly didn’t take care of himself as well as he should. His clothes were tattered, and it seemed like he couldn’t be bothered to shower as often as he should’ve. Harvey didn’t feel as if he knew the man well enough to bring it up when he was sober enough to remember what he had said. That was Marnie’s job, as she and Jas were the only ones in town who truly knew Shane. The man’s antisocial nature kept him from befriending anyone else, it seemed. Only the farmer seemed to be making any headway at all in regards to developing a friendship with Shane, and even then, their progress was limited, as Shane kept them at an arm’s distance.  
  
Harvey procured a bottle of water for Shane, opening it and helping him to drink. Shane resisted at first, as usual, but eventually gave up and began to drink the water. Harvey had warned him many times to at least drink a glass of water between beers, but Shane never seemed to listen. It was almost as if he was hellbent on ending up in the clinic… or perhaps there was a darker goal Shane had in mind. Harvey didn’t like to dwell on that possibility, but truthfully, it haunted him. He didn’t want to lose any patients, sure, but his real concern was for Jas. Shane seemed to be a sort of warped father figure to the little girl, and as unhealthy as that relationship was, Harvey wouldn’t want to see the little girl lose even more family. Losing her parents had been quite enough grief for her for a lifetime.

This time, unlike the times before, Shane seemed to have something to say. He tapped at Harvey’s arm clumsily, the best he could with his swimming vision.

“Hm? Is something the matter, Shane?” Harvey asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“You… always want me to see a shrink,” Shane began, words slurred. “So… you wanna hear why I first started drinking?” He hiccuped, clearly still incredibly inebriated.

Harvey was quite surprised at the sudden development, eyes widening. This would be the first time that Harvey had heard Shane open up to  _ anyone, _ let alone him. “If you’d like to tell me, I’m all ears, Shane.” He sat down beside Shane, which he usually ended up doing anyway so he could keep an eye on the man.

Shane nodded, looking forlornly off at something Harvey couldn’t see. “...I wanted to be a good dad. But I couldn’t. I was too young.” He sighed, reaching for Harvey’s hand and gripping it for comfort. “You know I’m trans. You’ve seen my bits and all that shit. It’s in my file. But… I bet you didn’t know that I’m Jas’ bio dad. Or, well, mom, technically, I guess.”  
  
Harvey’s eyes once again went wide in surprise. He indeed had not known that. “You’re still her father, regardless of whether you sired her or gave birth to her, Shane. Don’t misgender yourself like that.”

Shane chuckled humorlessly, shrugging. “Whatever. Anyway… I was 17 when it happened. I was a gridball star back then. The only girl in the district to be playing on the boys’ team. I was just that good. Had a shitload of scholarships lined up and everything. But then… after a game one night with our rival team… I was headed to the locker room, and a few of the other team’s best players came and grabbed me. Took me to the alleyway behind the school. The quarterback raped me as revenge for me making the winning play. Said that’s what I deserved for meddling in man’s business.”

Harvey paled, stomach dropping. He’d had no idea that Shane had gone through any of this. That was absolutely terrible. No wonder the poor man was such a recluse with such a bad attitude.

“Shane… I’m so sorry,” Harvey breathed, squeezing Shane’s hand comfortingly.  
  
“It’s… in the past,” Shane tried to brush it off, but it was clear that it still bothered him. “Anyway… I knew I couldn’t take care of a kid. But I didn’t just want to get rid of her. So my brother and sister-in-law offered to adopt her. They took care of me throughout the pregnancy. Took me in so they could keep an eye on me. Took me to all my appointments, made sure I took my vitamins, made sure I wasn’t eating too much junk…”   
  
He paused, sighing. “The day Jas was born was the happiest and saddest day of my life. I was so happy that I had made such a beautiful baby, but I was so heartbroken that she wasn’t mine. I mean, biologically, sure, but I didn’t get to keep her. They let me hold her, and I just couldn’t stop crying. I wanted so bad for her to be mine… but I wasn’t in any position to raise a kid so young.” He looked down, his free hand playing with the bedsheet sadly. “I stayed with my brother and sister-in-law for a while after she was born… I wanted to be able to at least nurse her through the colostrum stage, and then I’d let my sister-in-law take over. After that, I went back home. I couldn’t handle being there every day and seeing my little girl and not being her dad.”

Harvey was quite amazed that Shane had been so kind as to nurse Jas despite not being her legal parent. “That was incredibly kind of you to nurse her like that. I’m sure that greatly benefited her in the long run.”  
  
Shane smiled sadly. “You think so…? Thanks, Doc. But anyway… the day I went back home was the day I took my first drink of alcohol. I got hooked quickly. Got kicked out of the house for being a drunk… lived with some burn-out friends from high school. Lost my scholarships when I got pregnant and had to drop out of gridball, so I had no college path ahead of me. Got a job at JojaMart. Got into a vicious cycle. Then, a few years later… a stupid fucking drunk driver took Jas’ parents away.” He scowled darkly. “I may be a drunk, but one thing I _never_ do is drive after I’ve been drinking. That’s so fucking selfish, I can’t even _begin_ to describe it. So since I’m Jas’ godfather… I got custody. And I knew damn well I couldn’t take care of her on my own. I went to Aunt Marnie for help. She took us in. I transferred to the JojaMart here so I could help support Jas. But… I still can’t kick the goddamn habit.”  
  
Harvey was stunned into silence. Shane’s life had been one tragedy after another. It was so incredibly hard to even hear about… Harvey couldn’t even begin to imagine how terrible it had been to live through all of this. After a moment, he stood, embracing Shane.  
  
“Thank you for opening up to me, Shane,” Harvey murmured, tears misting in his eyes out of sympathy for the poor man. “I will do everything in my power to enact change for you. But you’ve got to promise me one thing.”

“What’s that, Doc?” Shane asked, a bit nervous.

“You’ve got to promise me that you’ll start seeing a therapist,” Harvey implored. “You really and truly need to see someone about this that can offer you professional help, Shane. I’m not licensed to practice psychology or psychiatry, and on top of that, as your friend, it would be irresponsible for me to take you as a client for that. You can always come to me if you need to talk, but I won’t be able to offer an expert opinion, only friendly advice. You need someone who can work you through this on a professional level.”

For the first time, Shane began to actually consider it. “...alright, Doc. I will. Do you mind giving me that business card again…? This time I promise I won’t throw it out.”

Harvey smiled brightly, nodding. He pulled one from his pocket that he kept there in case of emergency, sticking it with Shane’s belongings. “There you are, Shane. I trust that you’ll call as soon as you’re feeling better.”

Shane nodded, settling into the hospital bed with a sigh. “Thanks, Harvey. I really appreciate it.” He then finally succumbed to the alcohol-induced sleepiness, drifting off into the most peaceful sleep he’d had in a long time. It felt like a massive weight had been taken off of his shoulders. Finally, he had been able to open up to someone outside of his family about his issues. This was the start of a new beginning.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Harvey's intervention, Shane's life has been turned around for the better. A bit of a time-skip to skip over stuff that's not so interesting.

It had been a couple of months since Shane had drunkenly spilled his guts to the town doctor. Although he had been very embarrassed to have done so once he was sober, he took Harvey’s advice to heart and had called the therapist in Zuzu City. He’d been able to get off of work for a few hours twice a week in order to go see her, and things had been really looking up for the poor addict. He’d set aside the beers for flavored sparkling water, had rid his room of any and all alcohol, and had instructed Gus to not serve him alcohol under any circumstances. And he’d actually been reaching out to people a bit more. Sure, he was only branching out a small bit, but small amounts of progress were better than none. He actually greeted people now when he was addressed, rather than ignoring the person or issuing them a snarky comment. The people in town had begun to take notice, and their opinion of the former town drunk had begun to shift.

One thing that Shane had been doing was that between his therapist visits, he had been using Harvey as a confidant. Something about the doctor, something about the way he treated Shane, put the man at ease. Perhaps it was his calm bedside manner, or perhaps it was the way he humanized Shane, but Shane felt as if he could trust the doctor. He tried not to dump everything on the doctor, as that was a job for the therapist, but he’d begun to tell Harvey things like how he was progressing in his treatment, or stories from his life. And in turn, Harvey had begun to tell him things as well. Stories of his own life, or bits of friendly advice, or simple things about himself that Shane hadn’t known before. The two were becoming quite close, and Shane, for the first time in a long time, felt like he had an actual friend.

Since he was growing closer to Harvey, and he had already drunkenly told him his biggest secret, Shane decided that it was time to show Harvey his prized possession. It was a scrapbook that he had created during his pregnancy with Jas, documenting the journey. He had never shown it to anyone outside of the family, but he felt like Harvey was trustworthy enough to show.

He decided to head to Harvey’s on a day he knew would be slow. Maru wasn’t working today, so Shane made his way back to Harvey’s office, knocking at the door.

“Yes, come in,” Harvey greeted from inside, where he was seated at his desk doing paperwork. Shane entered the office nervously, clutching the scrapbook close.

“Hey, Harv,” Shane greeted with an anxious smile. “Got some spare time? I’ve got something I wanna show you. Only if you’re not busy, though.”

Harvey looked up, smiling. “Oh, hello, Shane! Sure, I can always spare some time for you.” He stood, closing the folder he had been working on. “Shall we head up to the apartment so we can have some privacy?”

Shane nodded. “Sounds good to me.” He was glad that Harvey was willing to give him the time when he had clearly been working on something beforehand. It made him feel… special. He walked up to the apartment with Harvey, sitting down on the couch beside the man.

“So, what is it that you have to show me?” Harvey asked curiously. “I’d assume that it’s that book you’ve got there?”

Shane nodded, taking a deep breath. He handed Harvey the scrapbook with slightly trembling hands. “This… is the scrapbook I made to document my pregnancy with Jas. I plan on showing it to her someday, when we’re both at a place where it would be ok for me to tell her where she came from. When I’m in a good enough place to be a good influence on her, and when we think she can handle it. She’s a tough girl, she could probably handle it now, but… it’ll be better to do it once I’ve been sober for more than a few short weeks.”

Harvey was stunned by the fact that Shane was showing him something so private, so personal. “Oh my goodness, Shane. Thank you for trusting me enough to show me this.” He cracked open the scrapbook, beginning to look through it.

The scrapbook began with a picture of a few positive pregnancy tests. That took Harvey by surprise. Jas had been conceived through rape, and still, Shane had thought to document the moment he had found out he was pregnant with her. That showed just how sentimental of a man Shane was deep inside. The scrapbook continued with pictures of what appeared to be a young woman, though Harvey could tell that the “woman” was a pre-transition Shane, going through his life as well as taking weekly bump update pictures. There were pictures of him with high school friends, with his brother and sister-in-law, with his parents, and even with Marnie. Scattered among the pictures were tidbits of information documenting what Shane had been feeling, what he had been craving, his hopes for the future, et cetera. 

And the most touching part of the scrapbook? There were letters to the baby who was to be Jas, talking about the way he felt toward her, his hopes for her, and explaining why he had chosen to let his brother and sister-in-law adopt her. It was in very child-friendly terms, not mentioning the rape but instead focusing on the fact that Shane was too young and not financially prepared enough to care for a child himself. 

As the scrapbook progressed, it appeared as if Shane had begun to socially transition. His hair was cut short, and he wore more masculine clothing (as masculine as maternity clothing could be, anyway). Confirming this was one of the letters to Jas in which Shane talked about beginning to transition. It was rather adorable, seeing Shane’s progress as he began to feel more comfortable in his new transgender identity, as well as his growing belly.

When Harvey came near the end of the book, he was surprised to see pictures of Shane in the hospital, throughout the labor process. His brother and sister-in-law were there in the room to support him, as well as a woman that Harvey assumed was their mother. Then, there were pictures of the actual birth. Shane looked so small and afraid in those pictures, and it tugged at Harvey’s heartstrings. He wanted nothing more than to reach into the photograph and comfort the laboring young man, but that had been in a time long passed, and the baby he had been laboring with was now a brilliant little 7-year-old. 

Finally, at the end of the book were pictures of Shane holding the newborn Jas, pictures of him nursing her, and then, pictures of Jas’ adoptive parents bonding with her. They were rather touching to Harvey, and once again, the pictures tugged at his heartstrings.

Shane was blushing from the embarrassment of Harvey viewing the most intimate moments of his life. Harvey, of course, had seen his genitals before in passing during exams, but it was different when it was such an intimate, private experience such as birth.

Harvey smiled at Shane warmly as he closed the scrapbook. “That was beautiful, Shane. Very touching, very sweet. I never knew that you were the type to put something like this together.”

“I’m not, not really,” Shane replied, cheeks burning. “I just… wanted to have something to give her, something to show her that she wasn’t just dumped on her parents… something to show her that I really have always loved her from the very beginning.”

Harvey put a hand on Shane’s shoulder, rubbing it gently. “It was a very brave thing for you to do. I’m sure she’ll love it.” He paused, chuckling softly. “It’s a good thing that the pages are removable. That way, she doesn’t need to see the birth pictures until she’s older.”

Shane shrugged. “She’s seen a lot of animals giving birth on Marnie’s farm. I’m sure it wouldn’t bother her. But I’ll ask Marnie about it beforehand, get her opinion on it.”

Harvey nodded. “That’s fair enough. If you think she’s mature enough for it by the time you show her, then that’s your decision. You’re her guardian, after all.” He paused in thought. “Whenever you tell her, do you plan on getting her birth certificate changed? I’m assuming her adoptive parents are the ones on the birth certificate.”

“I’m on her original birth certificate,” Shane explained. “She has two— the one created at birth, which has my name on it, and her adoption birth certificate, which has Garrett and Melissa on it.” He paused. “My brother and sister-in-law, sorry. I don’t think I ever told you their names.”

Harvey nodded once more in understanding. “Makes sense. And it’s not like who’s on the birth certificate really matters. Either way, you’re still her legal guardian and her biological father. Nothing will change that.”

Shane smiled slightly, nodding. “Yeah… yeah, I am. Can’t believe I have such an incredible kid sometimes. I mean, it’s all because of Garrett and Melissa’s influence, Marnie’s too, but… still. I’ve got an amazing kid.”

Harvey chuckled softly. “That you do. Say… her birthday’s coming up soon, right? On the 4th?” He smiled fondly. “If I was to get her something for her birthday… what would she like?”

Shane was surprised at Harvey’s offer to get Jas something for her birthday. “Really? Harvey, that’s too kind of you…” He chuckled in disbelief. “But if you really wanna get her something… her favorite flowers are Fairy Roses, or she could always use new dollhouse accessories. Her dolls are probably her favorite toys. She’s got a real nice dollhouse, and a family of dolls.” 

Shane paused in thought. “You know… she’s really been wanting a baby for the dollhouse. Her dolls are Junimo Family brand, and they recently came out with a new baby doll called Baby Krissy that she’s been begging for. I’ve already gotten her a different present she’s been asking for, but… a Baby Krissy set doesn’t cost all that much. That could be something.”

Harvey chuckled, a smile tugging at his lips. “A Baby Krissy set for the dollhouse, and a bouquet of Fairy Roses. Sounds perfect to me.” He heard the beep of the clinic door opening, and he winced. “Sounds like I’ve got a patient… Thank you for sharing this with me, Shane. I really appreciate it.” He patted Shane on the shoulder, eyes warm with affection toward the former drunkard. “I’ll see you around, alright?” He then went downstairs to attend to whoever had just entered the clinic.

Shane blushed at Harvey’s touch, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Why was his heart fluttering like that…? He took a moment to calm himself, then grabbed his scrapbook and headed out. Was he getting in over his head in this friendship…? Perhaps. But it felt really nice to have someone that legitimately cared for him outside of his family.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy birthday, Jas! The beginning of the birthday party!

It was Jas’ birthday, and everyone was gathered to celebrate the beginning of the little girl’s 8th year. Of course, Shane and Marnie were there, but joining them were Vincent, his mother Jodi, his brother Sam, Sam’s friends Sebastian and Abigail, Mayor Lewis, and the childrens’ tutor, Penny. Shane wasn’t exceptionally close with any of them, but he was greatly appreciative to them all for being friends to his daughter. There were snacks, a piñata, pin the stem on the Junimo, and the older kids had brought Sam’s Mega Station with a copy of Junimo Kart to play while the kids were having their fun.

Shane had put a lot of effort into the party. He’d decorated the house inside and out with streamers and banners and sparkly decor, and he’d gone out and bought a beautiful pink cake for Jas, decorated with pink Fairy Roses made out of frosting. For Jas’ present, he’d pinched his pennies and bought the sparkly pink bunny-jewel slippers that Jas had been eyeing for months on end. Shane had begun to bring Jas to therapy twice a month for her own trauma, and whenever they walked the streets in Zuzu City, she’d always press her little face to the children’s clothing shop window and ooh and ahh over the ridiculously gaudy slippers. Months ago, when Shane had still been in the throes of his addiction, he wouldn’t have been able to afford the shoes, especially since Jas was bound to grow out of them quickly at the rate she was growing. But now that he’d chucked that rather expensive habit of drinking himself stupid every night, he was able to afford the glittering shoes that Jas so desired.

Shane had certainly made sure that everything was perfect. He hoped that the party went well, that Jas was as happy as possible. He wanted Jas to have the best birthday she’d had since her parents passed away. That way, he could prove to her that he really was changing, that he was now focused on her rather than on his own self-destruction.

As Jas and Vincent chased each other around the yard, Shane spotted the farmer walking towards the house with a couple of gifts in hands. Shane felt bad, having never given the farmer the time of day. He didn’t even know their  _ name _ . Shane walked up to meet the farmer, offering them an apologetic smile.

“Hey, nice to see you,” Shane greeted. “Listen, I’m… real sorry I was kind of a dick to you up until now.” He paused. “Ok, not just  _ kind of _ a dick… I was a real, grade-A asshole. But, I don’t know if you’ve heard, I’m off the juice now. It’s really changed my way of thinking. I guess what I’m saying is… can we start over?” He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

The farmer laughed softly. “Hey, it’s ok. I’m just glad you’re doing better. I was really worried about you, you know. I overheard you saying some pretty dark stuff at the Saloon, and I was worried I’d never get a chance to get to know you.” They shifted the presents into one arm, offering Shane their hand. “My name’s Charlie. It’s nice to finally meet you properly, Shane.”

Shane smiled nervously, shaking Charlie’s hand. “Charlie, huh? Funny… I have a chicken named Charlie. I guess you’ll have to be human Charlie!” His cheeks burned at the awkwardness of his own comment.

Human Charlie laughed, eyes sparkling with mirth. “Human Charlie it is.” 

Charlie was a handsome young person, couldn’t have been much older than the trio of young adults currently playing Junimo Kart in the living room. They had soft-looking brown curls, a rosy complexion smattered with freckles, and green eyes that shone like emeralds. Shane would be surprised if one of the townspeople hadn’t already snatched them up. Shane had to admire their good looks. A bit effeminate to be of interest to Shane, but quite handsome all the same.

Charlie looked to Jas and Vincent as they played in the yard together, chuckling softly. “The birthday girl looks like she’s having fun, huh?”

Shane looked over at the kids, smiling despite himself. “Yeah… it’s nice that there’s at least one kid her age for her to play with. I was worried there wouldn’t be any other kids here for her to be friends with, but luckily Vincent is only about three months older than her.”

Charlie nodded, smiling. “So… where can I put the presents?”

Shane’s eyes widened as he realized he’d been making Charlie stand there with the presents still in their arms. “Oh, shit, I’m sorry, the present table’s right inside, in the kitchen. Come on, this way.” He led Charlie inside the house, smiling as they put the presents with the rest. “Thank you, by the way… you didn’t need to bring anything.”

“Of course I did!!” Charlie replied with a bright grin. “It’s not every day a little girl turns 8, after all.”

Shane chuckled softly. “You’re right about that.” He then realized that Charlie would probably be more comfortable with the younger adults closer to their own age. “By the way… Sam, Sebastian, and Abigail are in the living room playing video games, if you want to join them.”

“Oh, I was wondering where they were! Sam and Sebby told me that the three of them would be here!” Charlie said with a giggle. “Thanks, Shane!!” They patted Shane’s back, then went into the living room. They plopped themself down between Sebastian and Sam, kissing each boy’s cheek before grabbing a controller. Huh. That was new. Or maybe not… Shane wasn’t sure, since he hadn’t exactly been part of Pelican Town society until recently. Either way, it looked like Stardew Valley had a new triad. Shane was only surprised that Abigail seemed to be a third wheel here— or would it be a fourth wheel, in this case? Nah, fourth wheels were generally useful. But now wasn’t the time for that mental debate.

Shane was pulled out of his thoughts by a knock at the door. Who else could be here? He went to the door, answering it. He was surprised and, though he’d never admit it, delighted to see Harvey there.

“Oh, hey, you came!!” Shane said with a grin, stepping aside and letting Harvey in. He was carrying a present, as well as a tupperware container and a bouquet of Fairy Roses.

“Of course I did, I couldn’t just let today pass me by without giving my best wishes to the birthday girl!” Harvey replied with a bright smile. “Where can I put the presents?”

“Right this way,” Shane said, leading Harvey to the kitchen. “Marnie and the other adults— you know, the  _ adultier _ adults— are in the dining room socializing and snacking, if you wanna head there.”

Harvey put the nicely wrapped gift down onto the table, looking over at Shane. “Well, where are  _ you _ hanging out, Shane? Are you watching the kids outside?”

Shane shrugged, rubbing his own arm anxiously. “Nah, they can handle themselves, they’re old enough.”

Harvey frowned in concern. “Don’t tell me you’ve just been hanging out by yourself…”

Shane chuckled awkwardly. “You caught me red-handed, Doc. Too old to hang out with the youngsters, too much of an awkward fuckup to hang out with the old folks.” He looked away abashedly. It felt weird to be admitting that, but he knew Harvey could be trusted not to make fun of him.

Harvey sighed, putting a hand on Shane’s shoulder. “Listen… I brought you something too. Maybe it’ll make hanging out with the older folks more tolerable.” He handed Shane the tupperware container he had brought in. “Go on, open it up and see what’s inside.”

Shane looked at the container curiously, popping the lid. Immediately, the alluring scent of freshly grilled jalapeños filled with gooey cheese and draped with smoky bacon filled his nostrils, and Shane’s knees nearly buckled in bliss.

“D-did you…  _ make _ these?” Shane asked, mouth watering in anticipation.

A smile played at Harvey’s lips, and he nodded. “Marnie gave me your favorite pepper popper recipe when we started hanging out. Said the way to your heart is through your stomach, and that pepper poppers are a great way to brighten your spirits. I had a hunch that you’d have a hard time making yourself be sociable today, so I thought I’d give you something to make socializing a bit more bearable.”

Shane blushed in embarrassment at the fact that he was being plyed with his all-time favorite food as motivation to put himself out there socially. But truly, he did appreciate Harvey’s kindness. The pepper poppers smelled absolutely divine. He could see the beautiful grill marks on the sides of the peppers, he could see the gooeyness of the mouth-watering combination of cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and the way the bacon was draped across the poppers was an artistic masterpiece. He smiled, nudging Harvey affectionately.

“Hey… Thanks,” Shane said damn near bashfully, offering Harvey a smile. “You’re a real gem, you know that? Not every day a guy gets a handsome man to cook him his favorite food.” He blushed as he realized what he had just said, amazed by his own audacity. Was he… _ flirting  _ with Harvey? Oh jeez, what if he had just ruined his tentative friendship with the man?

Harvey, however, seemed amused, a blush staining his cheeks as he laughed softly. “Come on, Shane. Let’s go be social.” He put a hand on Shane’s shoulders, leading him to the dining room.

“Shane! Harvey! Come on in!” Marnie greeted, waving her nephew and the doctor into the room. “We were actually just talking about you, Shane!”

Shane blushed in embarrassment, looking at Marnie in disbelief. “You’ve been _ what _ …?” What could they have possibly been discussing about him?

Penny smiled at Shane, trying to reassure him. “We were talking about how we’ve  _ really _ noticed a change in you recently. You’ve had a more positive attitude, you’ve been more involved with Jas and Vincent, you’ve been more social around town…”

“Yeah, and we just wanted to say— we’re all  _ really _ proud of you, Shane,” Jodi said with a warm smile and a twinkle in her eyes. Jodi had always felt a bit of a maternal fondness towards Shane, since he was only a few years older than Sam, and she worried quite a bit about him, both for Jas’ sake and his own sake. 

Shane’s eyes widened in surprise. “Yeah…?” His cheeks burned, and he smiled nervously. Were they really  _ proud _ of him? It had been a long time since he had heard that from someone.

Harvey nodded, smiling and rubbing Shane’s shoulder gently. “We are  _ incredibly _ proud of you, Shane. You’ve come a long way in the last couple months. We can really see the effort you’ve been putting in. It’s really paying off. You seem a lot healthier and a lot happier, and so does Jas.”

Shane felt pride swell in his chest. Was there really a change in Jas? That made his heart incredibly happy. That was his main motivation for getting better. He wanted to provide Jas with a happier, healthier life, and that started with having a happier, healthier guardian.

“It’s all because of your help, Harvey,” Shane replied honestly. “If you hadn’t given me the number of that therapist, none of this would’ve been possible.”

“Only you had the power to make that first phone call, Shane,” Harvey protested with a fond smile. “All I did was give you the key. You made the choice to unlock that door.”

Shane blushed, picking up a pepper popper and taking a bite. All this focus on himself was making him a bit uncomfortable, and the food offered him an escape. Luckily, the others returned back to their own conversations, and the topic of Shane’s progress was forgotten as different topics came up. Marnie and Lewis were talking about the ongoing renovation of the community center at the hands of Charlie, and Penny and Jodi were exchanging childcare advice.

Harvey turned to Shane, smiling at him nigh bashfully. “So… do you really find me handsome, Shane?” He didn’t seem to be fishing for compliments, but rather genuinely curious.

Shane’s cheeks burned in embarrassment, and he glanced over at Marnie to make sure she wasn’t listening in before nodding, saying quietly, “I’m not exactly…  _ out _ yet, but… let’s just say I can appreciate a good looking guy when I see one.”

Harvey’s eyes widened in surprise, and it was his turn to blush. “Is that so…? Well, I’m very flattered, Shane. Might I say, you’re quite handsome yourself, in your own Shane way.”

Shane quirked a brow. “And what’s  _ that _ supposed to mean?” He wasn’t sure whether to be offended by that or not, and thought he’d give Harvey a chance to explain himself.

Harvey blushed deeper, clearly embarrassed about his accidental offension. “I-I just mean… perhaps you’re not what one would typically think of when one pictures a handsome man. Society would lead you to believe that a handsome man is one that is tall, tanned, clean-shaven, wearing the latest fashions… You’re not that, but you don’t  _ have _ to be that, because you’re handsome in all the ways society least expects. There’s something to the way you show up looking comfortable rather than stylish, or the way you have a perpetual five o’clock shadow. You aren’t trying to impress anyone… you just do what’s comfortable for you. You’re just uniquely  _ you _ , and that’s something I’ve come to appreciate about you.” He looked away, feeling quite abashed for his long-winded rambling.

Shane’s eyes had gone wide as Harvey waxed poetic about him. Never before had he heard someone say such things about him. He’d been picked on by coworkers in the past for being slovenly, unkempt, too short, and too rough around the edges. But Harvey didn’t see him that way. He saw the way he presented himself as, if not attractive (Shane didn’t want to get his hopes up), then at the very least acceptable. He opened his mouth to reply, but just then, Jas and Vincent ran in, excitedly begging for it to be cake time. Shane gave Harvey a look that clearly read “we’ll continue this later”, then launched into dad mode, ruffling the kids’ hair and relenting, leading them into the kitchen for cake. If there was one thing Shane knew about Jas, it was that nothing could ever stand in between her and a slice of pink cake.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's present time for Jas!!

After everyone’s bellies were full of the delicious pink cake, it was time for presents. Jas bounced up and down in her “throne” (or, rather, the kitchen chair she was seated in), eager to receive her gifts.

Shane decided to let everyone else go before him. After all, he wanted to save the best for last. Those glittering shoes were bound to be the show-stopper of the day, and he didn’t want to distract Jas from the other presents too soon. Everyone else deserved their turn, after all.

First up was Vincent’s present. Little boys were notoriously bad at getting gifts for little girls on their own, but Vincent had insisted on getting Jas a gift separate from the one that Jodi and Sam would be giving her together. 

Vincent handed Jas a clumsily wrapped gift, grinning from ear to ear. She opened it, finding a squishy rubber frog inside. She laughed, stretching the frog’s limbs and squishing it. While it wasn’t one of the top things on her wishlist, she could always appreciate something so fun to play with.  
  
“My dolls can ride it like a horse!!” Jas pointed out, grinning brightly. “Their noble steed, Sir Bumpy Toad!! Thank you, Vincent!!” She hugged Vincent tightly, giggling.

The next gift was from Sam and Jodi. They had noticed Jas wistfully eyeing Vincent’s slime-making sets, so they had gotten her a large Junimo-themed slime kit of her very own, where she could make three slimes of the color of her choice, and put little plastic Junimo charms inside to float around in all the goo. Jas was incredibly excited, bouncing up and down.

“I can’t wait to make my first slime!!” Jas exclaimed, giggling. Shane rolled his eyes fondly at that, chuckling. It was bound to be an incredible mess, but as long as Jas had fun, that’s what mattered most.

Next up was Sebastian. He didn’t much know what little girls liked, but he’d asked Jodi for some help figuring it out. He would’ve asked Demetrius what Maru liked as a kid, but considering that both of them were science geeks and not typical people, he didn’t trust that his answer would’ve been of any help. Jodi had helped him pick something out that would be beneficial in the future, something she could enjoy once she was a little older.

“Fairy rose earrings!!” Jas gasped as she opened the little box Sebastian had given her. They were genuine gold earrings, so that she could wear them even if she ended up having sensitive ears. “They’re so pretty!! Can I get my ears pierced, Shane? Pleeeaaase?” She looked up at Shane with puppy dog eyes.

Shane winced, chuckling softly. That was really a question for Marnie, since he didn’t exactly know the age at which it would be appropriate for Jas to get her ears pierced. “We’ll talk about it later, alright, kiddo? Can you say thank you to Sebastian?”

“Thanks, Sebastian!!” Jas parroted, grinning brightly. “I can’t wait to wear them!!” She got up, giving the young man a tight hug. Sebastian blushed, hugging Jas back.

“No sweat, kid,” Sebastian chuckled softly. He wasn’t used to the attention from Jas, given how shy she normally was. It felt like an honor to be given a hug from her.

Abigail was up next. The young woman was so quirky, Shane had no guesses as to what she’d be giving Jas. He just hoped it was something age appropriate. Luckily, he had no reason to worry, as what ended up being inside her gift was a children’s baking set, complete with a pink lacy apron with fairy roses on it, a chef’s hat, child-sized oven mitts, measuring spoons and measuring cups, a whisk, a wooden spoon, a rubber spatula, a rolling pin, and some cookie cutters. It also came with a box of chocolate cake mix.

“I know your favorite kind of cake is pink cake… but as a growing young woman, you need to learn that chocolate can be a valuable coping mechanism in your life,” Abigail explained her choice of cake mix with a playful wink. That went completely over Jas’ head, but Shane groaned softly, pinching the bridge of his nose in quiet exasperation. The last thing he needed was a budding chocoholic in his life to steal his chocolates from the pantry like Marnie did when she was having a bad day.

Jas grinned brightly at Abigail. “Thanks, Abby!! Now I can be just like Aunt Marnie in the kitchen!! And maybe one day, I can teach Shane how to cook too!”

Shane blushed in embarrassment at that, looking away. So what if he had a fondness for microwavable foods? That didn’t mean he was incapable of cooking for himself… but perhaps she was right. Perhaps he could stand to cook for himself a bit more rather than buying frozen pizza and frozen pepper poppers in bulk at JojaMart.

“Called out by an eight-year-old, how _ savage,” _ Abigail teased, giving Shane a good-natured noogie.

“Yeah, yeah, yuk it up,” Shane chuckled gruffly, shaking his head fondly. Abigail really  _ was _ a nice kid, despite her quirks.

Next up was Penny, who gave a preemptive apology for giving something practical rather than fun. Jas opened her present curiously, gasping as she saw the 3rd grade workbooks and brand new school supplies inside.

“Woah!! I’m graduating to 3rd grade? Just like Vincent?” Jas asked excitedly, giggling.

“Yes ma’am!” Penny confirmed with a wink. “You’re a 3rd grader now!! Congratulations!!” She gave Jas a hug, kissing the top of her head.

Shane put a hand on Penny’s shoulder, murmuring quietly to her, “Thank you, Penny. For all you do for Jas. You’re an incredible teacher.” Penny turned to Shane, smiling and giggling softly, glad to be receiving praise for her hard work.

Then, it was Mayor Lewis’ turn. This was another one Shane wasn’t quite so sure about. Sure, Mayor Lewis could easily ask Marnie what Jas would like, but would he think to do so…? Shane only hoped that Jas didn’t make a fuss if it was something she didn’t enjoy.

Luckily, once again, Shane didn’t have to worry. Charlie had been regaling Jas and Vincent with tales of the Junimo that supposedly lived in the abandoned community center that they were refurbishing, and Jas had become infatuated with the stories. Mayor Lewis had heard as such from Marnie, and so when Jas ripped into the package, she found a beautiful plush Junimo made of minky fabric with a tag that stated it had been handmade by none other than the town’s resident seamstress, Emily.

“Oh,  _ wow, _ it’s so  _ pretty!!” _ Jas gushed as she cuddled the green Junimo doll close. “My very own Junimo!! Thank you so much, Mayor Lewis!!” She grinned brightly, eyes sparkling with excitement.

“You’re quite welcome, my dear girl,” Mayor Lewis said with fondness shining in his own eyes. Shane knew that he felt very much like a grandfather to the young girl. If only he could be brave enough to come public with his relationship with Marnie, he could actually  _ treat _ her like a granddaughter.

The farmer, Charlie, was up next. As they handed Jas the box, they warned, “Be careful, it’s fragile, alright, honey?” 

Jas nodded sagely, gingerly opening the gift. Inside the box was a beautiful purple Fairy Rose in full bloom, preserved in a sphere of resin. Jas gasped, eyes going wide in shock and amazement at the sight of the beautiful forever-rose.

“How did you get it in the crystal?!” Jas asked, absolutely enthralled with the gift.

Charlie laughed, eyes sparkling. “It’s not crystal, it’s something called resin! When you get it, it comes in two liquid parts that you mix together, and then you can put things in it, and solidifies and it’s preserved forever! This Fairy Rose will never wilt; it will stay just as fresh as the day it was cut!”

Jas’ jaw dropped, amazed by the science behind the resin cast. “Wow!! Can you teach me to do that someday?!”

“Sure!” Charlie replied, grinning. “Maybe Miss Penny will let me teach you how as a science lesson!”

Penny giggled, nodding. “That would be wonderful! Combining art and science is always a fun experiment!”

With the promise of a science lesson with Charlie secured, it was then Harvey’s turn to give his gift to Jas.

“First off… these flowers will wilt eventually, but they’ll be pretty while they’re here,” Harvey chuckled, showing Jas the bouquet of Fairy Roses he had brought, having bought them from Charlie the day before. At some point, Marnie had put them in a vase with some water in order to keep them fresh, with Harvey’s permission.

“Wow, Doctor Harvey, thank you!!” Jas exclaimed, grinning. “They’re so pretty!! Maybe I can press them so they  _ will _ last forever, and I can put them in a frame!! Mx. Charlie and Miss Penny taught me how to do that in the springtime!!”

“Oh yeah?” Harvey asked, chuckling fondly. “That’s wonderful! If you do that, you’ll have to show me the end result! Now… are you ready for part two to your present?”

“There’s a part two?!” Jas exclaimed, amazed that Harvey had gotten her not only the bouquet, but something else. It was comical to Harvey… the things he had gotten her weren’t particularly expensive, especially the roses, since Charlie had exceedingly fair prices for their fresh goods, but even little things seemed to amaze Jas. Ah, the wonders of childhood.

“There is indeed!” Harvey confirmed with a chuckle. He handed her a nicely wrapped gift, watching as she tore into it excitedly. Inside was the Baby Krissy doll that she had been begging for ever since it came out, complete with accessories and nursery furniture. Jas gasped, giggling excitedly.

“It’s a real Baby Krissy doll!!” Jas cheered. “Now my dollhouse has a baby!! I  _ love  _ babies!! Thank you, Doctor Harvey!! How did you know?!” She hugged him tightly, giggling. Harvey blushed in surprise at the hug, chuckling and reciprocating.

“Let’s just say… a little birdie told me,” Harvey chuckled, sneaking a wink at Shane.

Jas gasped, misunderstanding the euphemism. “I bet it was Charlie!! Charlie the chicken, not Human Charlie. She’s good at secrets!! I tell her everything!!”

Harvey chuckled, winking conspiratorially at Jas and letting her think that Shane’s beloved pet had told him about her wish for the doll.

Next up were the family presents. Marnie went first, handing Jas a gift wrapped in sparkly paper. Jas tore into it to find a beautiful pink princess dress with glittering rhinestones adorning it, also sporting a label on it stating that it was an Emily creation. When Shane had told Marnie his plan to give Jas the bunny-jewel slippers she’d been begging for, Marnie had had the dress custom-made to match the shoes. It was probably the most intricate, high-quality dress that had ever been crafted for a child’s play costume.

Jas’ eyes went wide as saucers, and she looked up at Marnie in disbelief. “Aunt Marnie…!! This is  _ beautiful!! _ Oh, I can’t wait to wear it!! Thank you so much!!” She squealed excitedly, setting the dress aside and hugging Marnie tightly.

Marnie chuckled softly, hugging Jas back. “Of course, sweetheart!! I’m so glad you like it!! We’ll have to take some pictures of you when you try it on so we can show Miss Emily how you look in it!!”

Jas grinned brightly, then looked to Shane hopefully. “Did…  _ you _ get me anything this year, Shane? I know money’s tight, you tell me that, and you bought the cake, but… maybe…?”

Shane felt guilt pull at his heartstrings as Jas brought up his financial issues. Before, when he’d been blowing all the money he made at Joja on booze, money had been tight, and it was all his fault. He always made sure to get Jas something nice for her birthday, but it was rarely the stuff she had been begging for, as he didn’t have the finances for those things. But this year? This year was different.

“Of course I got you something, baby doll,” Shane assured Jas. He picked up the last gift, handing it over to her. “Happy birthday, Jas.” He waited with bated breath, hoping she would be just as excited about the shoes now as she had been when begging for them.

Jas was incredibly excited, tearing open the paper and opening the shoebox. She gasped in shock when she saw what was inside. The pink, sparkling slippers that she had been begging for for months!! They were finally hers!!

“Th… These are real bunny-jewel slippers!!” Jas exclaimed excitedly, more excited for this than any of her previous gifts. She put them down carefully, then launched herself at Shane for a hug. Shane caught her out of sheer reflex, shocked by the sudden hug.

Jas then realized something, eyes wide. “B… But these are so expensive! How did you afford them?”

Shane grinned proudly at Jas. “I’ve cut back an expensive habit. I have a lot more spending money now!” He ruffled the girl’s hair playfully. Jas’ eyes widened in realization as she put the pieces together. Shane hadn’t been coming home stumbling or passing out on the floor anymore. Because he wasn’t spending so much money on alcohol, he could now afford nicer things!!

“I’m proud of you, Shane,” Jas informed him, tears welling up in her big, beautiful eyes and clinging to her cow-like lashes. She buried her face in his shoulder, and Shane rubbed her back reassuringly. “Thank you so much…!! I love you, Shane!!”

“I love you too, Jas,” Shane replied, tears misting in his own eyes as he held his little girl close.

Soon, Jas was back to playing with Vincent, and the adults had picked conversation back up. Shane cornered Harvey in the kitchen, which had been cleared out as the adults migrated back towards the dining room where there was room to sit.

“Hey… we need to talk,” Shane said softly, putting a hand on Harvey’s shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited to add: The name of Jas' toy frog? Sir Bumpy Toad? Yeah, that was the name of my childhood fire bellied toad. :3 He was a very good boy, and I've been missing him lately. Toads are awesome!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The birthday party wraps up, and Harvey and Shane have a little chat.

“Hey… we need to talk,” Shane said softly, putting a hand on Harvey’s shoulder.

Harvey blushed as he was cornered, eyes going wide in surprise. “Yes, Shane…?”

Shane took a deep breath, looking at Harvey seriously. “All that stuff you said earlier, before we cut the cake… were they  _ true _ …?” Shane desperately hoped that they were. He didn’t know how he’d handle it if Harvey told him he was just saying them to be nice.

Harvey’s cheeks went a brilliant red from being called out on what he had said. He cleared his throat, tugging at his tie anxiously. After taking a moment to calm his racing heart, he nodded.

“Y-yes, all of what I said was true, Shane. That’s legitimately how I feel about you,” Harvey affirmed. “I’m sorry if I overstepped any boundaries… I’ve just… I’ve  _ truly _ become fond of you over the time we’ve been getting to know each other better.”

Shane blushed, amazed that Harvey actually saw him as a handsome, perhaps even desirable man. Was this real? Was this just a dream?

“...wow,” Shane chuckled breathlessly. “That… means a lot to me, Harvey. I… never thought  _ anyone _ would feel this way about me, let alone someone as awesome as you.”

“Awesome, huh?” Harvey’s mustache twitched in amusement. “That’s a pretty high compliment, coming from you.” He was glad for the moment of levity to relieve some of the seriousness of the conversation.

“Shut up, not everyone can wax poetic like Elliot,” Shane grumbled, nudging Harvey good-naturedly. “I guess I just mean… You’re handsome as hell, and super kind too. You’ve been nicer to me than I deserved when we first started, quite frankly. I  _ really _ appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

Harvey’s brow furrowed slightly at that. “Shane… You  _ did _ deserve my kindness. Quite frankly, you could’ve used a lot more kindness before that point, and I’m ashamed that none of us in this town aside from your family had taken the initiative before that point to show any sort of kindness to you. Myself included. I didn’t take the time to try and break through to you beyond from a very basic doctor-patient level. And I’m deeply sorry for that.”

Shane was genuinely puzzled by that. “Hey… I didn’t exactly make it easy for you to ‘break through’ to me, Harvey. I was more prickly than a cactus. It’s not your fault that I didn’t open myself up to anyone until that night. But you being willing to listen to me that night… it changed my life. I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you.”

Harvey blushed, smiling bashfully at Shane. “I did what  _ anyone _ should’ve done, Shane. But I appreciate that it meant so much to you. I really  _ do _ care about you, you know.”

Shane smiled awkwardly, a bit overwhelmed by all the feelings he was experiencing. “C-can I…” He cleared his throat nervously, cheeks burning. “Can I hug you? I’m not usually a touchy-feely kind of guy, but…” He didn’t know why he felt the need to justify himself, but even so, there was nothing he could think of _ to  _ justify his desire. He just wanted to hug Harvey, plain and simple.

Harvey smiled, opening his arms invitingly. Shane took a nervous step forward, then embraced Harvey tightly. He buried his face in Harvey’s shoulder, getting a bit emotional as he took the man’s scent, which he had come to find incredibly comforting and safe. Harvey was a bit surprised by the intensity of the hug, wrapping his arms around the shorter man and rubbing his back.

“I’ve got you,” Harvey soothed, a fond smile gracing his face. This was an incredible moment in Harvey’s eyes. It had taken Shane so long to open up, but now, he was so comfortable around him that he was willing to embrace him like he was a lifeline. Harvey’s heart fluttered in his chest, warmth rising to his cheeks. He truly did find Shane attractive, despite the man’s flaws, and having him in his arms like this was quite exhilarating.

When he finally pulled away from the doctor, Shane asked shyly, “So… what does this…  _ make  _ us? Like, are we a  _ thing _ …? Or just really good friends? I’m sorry, I’m just not good at this whole… _ ‘interpersonal relationships’ _ thing.”

Harvey laughed in surprise, grinning brightly. “You’d truly want to be an item, Shane? Well, I certainly can’t say I’m opposed to that. In fact, I quite like the idea.” He paused in thought. “Would you like me to run to Pierre’s to get a bouquet to make it… official?”

Shane blushed, chuckling softly. “I’m not that kind of super-formal guy, Harvey. If you wanna buy one for next time we hang out, or maybe our first date? Then I wouldn’t be opposed. But I’m not gonna make you leave the party just to go get a bundle of flowers.”

Harvey grinned, kissing Shane on the cheek gently. “I’ll do that then. Should we get back to the rest of the party…?”

Shane’s blush deepened as he felt Harvey’s mustache tickle his cheek. “Yeah… sounds good. Just give me a minute, I know I’m probably as red as a lobster right now.”

Once Shane had regained his composure, he and Harvey returned to the party, hand in hand. If anyone noticed, they didn’t say anything. However, when the younger adults came in to socialize, Shane got a knowing look from Charlie, which caused him to blush. Damn that farmer, seeming to pick up every little detail about everything.

The rest of the party went smoothly. Jas and Vincent wore themselves out from playing to the point that they both fell asleep in Jas’ room and Vincent had to be carried home. Charlie and Harvey stayed afterwards to clean up the mess from the party, and Shane got to spend some time actually getting to know the farmer instead of simply brushing them off like he had before he got sober. Turns out, Charlie was quite a likeable individual. Very reminiscent of Sam with their golden retriever-like personality, but also very passionate about their work. They even offered Shane a part-time job helping to look after their animals, to which Shane said he’d have to think about it, as he already worked quite grueling hours at JojaMart. Charlie mentioned something about the future of JojaMart in the Valley being grim and that it was always good to have something else lined up, which perturbed Shane a bit. Joja seemed fine, so what gave Charlie that sort of premonition? Either way, Shane appreciated the offer, and would certainly think about it.

Charlie eventually left to go wrap up their day at the farm, and all that was left was Marnie, Shane, and Harvey. Marnie looked at the two and chuckled softly.

“I’m going to assume the two of you want a bit of alone time,” Marnie said with a good-natured smile. “I’m going to go get ready for bed. Make good choices.”

“Aunt Marnie,” Shane groaned, flushing in embarrassment. She didn’t have to remind him to make good choices— he was an adult, for crying out loud!! Besides, it wasn’t like he planned on throwing himself at Harvey the second she left the room!! He wasn’t a horny teenager anymore!! And Jas was sleeping in her bedroom mere feet away!!

“Goodnight, Shane, goodnight, Harvey,” Marnie bade the two farewell with a giggle, retreating to her bedroom to wind down for the night.

“I’m so sorry about that,” Shane apologized with a red face, leading Harvey to the couch where the two of them could sit. “And I’m sorry about not having anything alcoholic to offer you. Normally, at a time like this, I’d offer you a glass of wine, but… Marnie and I agreed to not keep any alcohol in the house anymore. Better for my sobriety. My therapist says that in the future, a Moderation Management program might be possible, but I’m not gonna try that any time soon. I’d much rather stay clean for Jas until I know damn well I can drink without overdoing it.”

“Hey, I prefer that too,” Harvey assured Shane with a fond smile. “I’d much rather you be healthy and happy than have a glass of wine with someone who’s struggling with alcohol.”

Shane smiled bashfully at that, scooting a bit closer and leaning against Harvey. “...today was amazing. I’m really glad you were here. Otherwise, I would’ve just isolated myself the whole time. I feel like this was the start of getting to know everyone that was here a little better.”

Harvey was quite surprised to hear that. “Really? I was just hoping you weren’t going to be resentful for me pushing you out of your shell a bit. I know that you’ve put up these walls to protect yourself, and that when they’re challenged, it can be a bit hard to cope with.”

Shane shook his head. “Nah… it needed to happen. I need to start actually forming connections in the community. I can’t just spend the rest of my life with my head in the dirt. That’s part of what got me to where I was to begin with. Having an actual support system will do wonders, I’m sure.” He paused, chuckling softly. “Besides… with Sam especially, I need to learn to get along with him instead of grouching at him whenever we’re at work. Joja is already miserable enough without my bad attitude making it that much worse.”

Harvey chuckled as well. “You know… you really should get rid of that awful job. Take Charlie up on their offer instead, or maybe ask for employment at Pierre’s. Hell, I could even use some administrative help at the clinic. Maru may be a wonderful nurse, but surprisingly, despite her analytical mind, she’s terrible at keeping files organized. She’s more suited to the scientific side of things, like testing samples and tending to patients and taking down data. Having someone who knows where things are meant to be kept would be a huge help.”

Shane’s brows raised in surprise at the sudden offer of employment. “Yeah…? I mean… I don’t wanna be an imposition on you. I know you’re already struggling financially, so… but… if you’re serious…? I-I might have to take you up on that.” He sighed. “Working at Joja is hell. It’s also another contributing factor to why I ended up an alcoholic. It’s drudgery, plain and simple, and Morris’ attitude is just…  _ sickening _ . I have no idea how Sam manages to keep such a sunny disposition, working at that awful place.”

Harvey smiled warmly. “Well, if you help me out on the administrative side, we might be able to start taking in patients from nearby towns who are looking for a more holistic approach. We couldn’t handle it right now, not with only two staff members, but with you on board? We could expand the practice! It wouldn’t be an imposition at all.”

“Then… I’ll do it,” Shane decided with a nod. “I’ll put in my two weeks at JojaMart. That place is  _ terrible _ . I’ll be  _ glad _ to kiss that place goodbye.”

“That settles it, then,” Harvey chuckled. He glanced at his watch, wincing at how late it was getting. “Oh dear, I’d better head home… it’s getting quite late.” He carefully dislodged himself from Shane, then gave him another kiss on the cheek. “I’ll text you when I get home safely. Take care, Shane.”

“Oh… bye,” Shane bid Harvey farewell, hugging him before the man departed. Part of Shane was disappointed. Why couldn’t Harvey simply stay the night…? But the rational part of him knew better. Harvey wanted to avoid the appearance of impropriety, surely, and he likely also needed to be there at the clinic bright and early, which would be easier by being in the apartment above the clinic rather than all the way at Marnie’s ranch. But still… the room felt a lot colder without Harvey’s warmth pressed against him. Shane could only hope that their next encounter would be soon, so that he could feel that wonderful warmth against his body again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our boys have their very first date!

It was a stupid idea. Shane knew it. What kind of first date was a gridball game, anyway? Harvey was sure to roll his eyes and turn him down. After all, the man was more of an intellectual type… there’s no way he’d want to attend a gridball game, even with him!! A library date would be far more suitable, even though it would be boring as hell for Shane. Or maybe a fancy date to a winery to have a wine tasting. That was the kind of sophisticated date that Harvey would like… not a gridball game.

And yet… none of that stopped Shane from purchasing two tickets to the Tunnelers’ season opening game, one for himself and one for Harvey. Perhaps Harvey would consider going with him and sharing something that Shane was passionate about. After all, Shane had told Harvey about his varsity gridball past… perhaps Harvey would be alright with it, given that it was something that Shane loved. Shane could only hope.

Shane procrastinated on asking Harvey to attend the game with him until the very day of the game. He was just too embarrassed to ask him ahead of time… but he could not put it off any longer. He entered Harvey’s clinic when it opened for the day with the tickets in hand. Usually, these days, he spent his mornings working on Charlie’s farm to care for the animals, while he spent from noon to four thirty pm at Harvey’s clinic working, so Harvey was quite surprised to see him in the clinic so early. Luckily, Charlie had allowed him to come to work late that day, since he knew of Shane’s plans to ask Harvey to the game.

“Oh, Shane, you’re early!” Harvey exclaimed in surprise. “Is everything alright? You’re not hurt or ill, are you?”

Shane blushed, shaking his head. “Nah… I’m fine, Harvey. I just…” He took a deep breath, shoving Harvey’s ticket at him. “I wanted to ask you… to come to the Tunnelers season opener with me. It’s a home game, and it’s against our rival team, so… I dunno… I thought it’d be fun. I know that it’s not your kind of thing, but—”

Before Shane could go on a ramble, Harvey chuckled and placed a finger to Shane’s lips to silence him, taking the ticket. “I’d  _ love _ to come with you, Shane. I’ll admit, I’m not the biggest sports enthusiast, so you’ll have to explain the game to me, but I know how important gridball is to you. Of  _ course _ I’ll come.”

Shane’s expression lit up like a child’s on Winter Star morning, and he grinned brightly. “Yeah? W-well, the bus to Zuzu City leaves at 5 pm, so… can we head there after work?”

Harvey smiled fondly, nodding. “Of course, Shane. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” He hugged Shane affectionately. “I’ve gotta get going on work, so I’ll see you when you show up for your shift, alright?”

“Alright! See you then!” Shane affirmed with a grin. He power walked to Charlie’s farm with a spring in his step, whistling a jaunty tune. He truly hadn’t expected Harvey to accept his invitation!! It seemed that nothing could go wrong today, now that he had his first date with the man scheduled!!

After the workday, Shane stuck around while Harvey wrapped things up. When Harvey was about to go get ready for the game, Shane pulled him aside, pulling a package out of his backpack.

“I’ve, uh, got something for you,” Shane said lamely, handing the package to Harvey.

“Oh?” Harvey asked, smiling warmly. He tore into the wrapping paper, pulling out a Tunnelers jersey identical to the one that Shane often wore, a #2 emblazoned on it. Harvey’s eyes widened, and he grinned at Shane.

“This is wonderful, Shane!” Harvey exclaimed. “I was worried I’d look out of place since I don’t own any sports merch, so this will be perfect!!” He gave Shane a kiss on the cheek, and Shane blushed as Harvey’s mustache tickled his cheek.

“You’re welcome,” Shane replied gruffly, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Go on, go get dressed.”

Harvey nodded, going up to his apartment and putting on the shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. He packed a couple of water bottles and some sunscreen in a string backpack, then headed back downstairs.  
  
“You ready to head out?” Harvey asked with a fond smile.

Shane nodded, taking Harvey’s hand with a blush. “Yep… let’s head for the bus stop.”

The duo made their way to the bus stop hand in hand. Shane was massively relieved that Harvey seemed to be alright with holding his hand. Part of him had been afraid that Harvey would remove his hand from his in order to maintain his image, but Harvey had done nothing of the sort.

They boarded the bus, and continued to hold hands as they took their seats. On the way to Zuzu City, they chatted idly with each other about nothing of importance. Shane updated Harvey on the state of Charlie’s animals, while Harvey informed Shane of some interesting conversations he’d had on his CB radio recently. Before long, they arrived at the bus stop near the station, and they hopped off, walking to the stadium.

Soon, Harvey and Shane were taking their seats. Shane had gotten himself a soda in a Tunnelers-branded refillable cup, and Harvey had gotten himself a Tunnelers-branded sun visor since the sun was still bright in the sky. Luckily, he had Transitions lenses in his glasses, so that would protect his eyes from the sun, but the visor would help protect his skin.

Harvey applied sunscreen to himself, then turned to Shane. “Shane? Would you like some sunscreen?”

Shane scoffed softly, blushing. “The sun will be going down soon… I think I’ll be fine.”

Harvey frowned, looking at Shane with pleading eyes. “Please, Shane? The last thing I need is for you to be getting skin cancer. UV rays can be incredibly damaging to skin. I’ll even put it on you to make sure there aren’t any missed spots…”

Shane blushed deeper, sighing. “Alright, alright…” He took off his sunglasses, offering himself to Harvey. Harvey smiled triumphantly, applying lotion sunscreen to Shane’s face and arms, rubbing it in lovingly. He then pulled out some spray sunscreen and sprayed Shane’s legs, just in case.

“There we are… fully protected,” Harvey chuckled softly. “Thank you, Shane. I appreciate it. I’d kiss you on the cheek again, but… sunscreen doesn’t exactly taste the best on one’s lips.”

Shane laughed, shaking his head fondly. “I understand. I wouldn’t want to get sunscreen in my mouth either. It’s the thought that counts, yeah?”

Soon enough, the game was starting. As promised, Shane began to explain the game to Harvey, giving him the play-by-play as the players ran about the field. Harvey listened with rapt attention, not so much because he was actually interested in the game, but rather, because it was Shane talking about something he was passionate about, which he found incredibly endearing.

After a while, Shane turned to Harvey with a serious look. Harvey tilted his head curiously at the sudden change in mood.

“Hey, I’ve been meaning to say…” Shane began, taking a deep breath. “Thanks for sticking with me through everything… my anxiety, depression, you know… You’ve been a really good friend to me.”

Harvey smiled warmly, putting a hand on Shane’s shoulder. “Of course, Shane. I care quite deeply about you. I wouldn’t have stuck with you throughout all of this if I didn’t care. I’m so proud of the progress you’ve made in such a short time. You’re so incredibly strong, and I can’t wait to watch how you continue to blossom into the amazing man we all know you are.”

Shane went quiet, blushing at Harvey’s praise. It truly meant a lot to him, but he didn’t know how to express that. Instead, after a moment, he said, “Anyway… Your first gridball game… Well, what do you think?”

Harvey chuckled softly. “Well, if I’m honest? It’s quite noisy. It makes me appreciate how peaceful it is back home. I’ve never been one for the bustling city life. Crowds tend to make me anxious. But I’m still glad I came. It’s been wonderful getting to spend this time with you.”

“Noisy, huh? I guess that makes sense,” Shane replied, blushing at Harvey’s compliment. “Me? I get bored with Pelican Town sometimes. But… I like that you’re different. We balance each other out.”

Harvey nodded in agreement, smiling warmly. They truly were quite the compliment to each other. Harvey was warm and inviting, whereas with Shane, it took a while to break past his prickly exterior. Harvey had little issue talking to others, since it was part of his job, whereas Shane was more reserved. Shane preferred the hustle and bustle, as well as the anonymity, of the big city, whereas Harvey preferred the sereneness and intimacy of the Valley. Perhaps it was true, what they said… Opposites did seem to attract in this case.

Suddenly, Shane jumped out of his seat, eyes wide and glued to the field.

“Gah!! Look, the Tunnelers are on the attack!” Shane exclaimed, riled up by the sudden burst of energy by the team. The player with the ball rushed toward the goalpost, and then— “GOAL!!”

Shane was so excited by the team’s triumphant score that he turned to Harvey, pulling him into a passionate kiss. Harvey was shocked at first, but then kissed back, wrapping his arms around Shane. He heard a few wolf whistles from the crowd and blushed, trying to hold back laughter.

Once they parted for air, Shane seemed to notice what he had done, blushing deeply and looking at Harvey with shock.   
  


“Oh!...” Shane exclaimed, incredibly embarrassed. He faltered a bit, hands falling to his sides from where he had been embracing Harvey. “Um… Sorry… I got carried away there.” He was horrified with the way he had kissed Harvey so suddenly, and without permission. Damn it, that wasn’t the way he intended for their first kiss to go!!

Harvey smirked and silently pulled Shane in for another kiss, needing Shane’s lips against his own once more. Shane was shocked at first, but quickly melted into the kiss, pressing against Harvey, lips twitching in hints of a smile as Harvey’s mustache tickled his upper lip.

When they parted once more, Harvey murmured so only Shane could hear, “If that was you getting carried away, perhaps you should get carried away more often. I happened to  _ like  _ that, Shane.”

“Y-yeah…?” Shane asked, blushing deeply. “I liked it too. So… maybe I _ will  _ get carried away more often.” He laughed softly, sitting back down with Harvey by his side.

The rest of the game went quite well. Shane continued to explain the game to Harvey when needed, and otherwise, they simply watched the game and enjoyed each other’s company. The Tunnelers ended up winning, which earned Harvey another victory smooch, much to Harvey’s delight. Before they knew it, they were on the bus headed home, with Shane dozing against Harvey’s shoulder.

When they got back to Pelican Town, Harvey gently shook Shane awake, helping him off of the bus. Shane yawned and followed Harvey’s lead, and as they stood outside of the bus, they didn’t quite want to part yet.

“This would be the part where I asked you to come home with me if I still had a place of my own,” Shane admitted sheepishly. “N-not necessarily for anything sexual, but just… I don’t want to say goodbye just yet, you know…?”

Harvey chuckled softly, nodding. “I do know. Luckily for you, I do have my own place. It’s pretty modest, but if you like, you could perhaps spend the night with me…? It’s a long way back to Marnie’s ranch, after all, and I don’t want you having to make the journey this late at night.” Both of them knew that the walk to Marnie’s ranch wasn’t exactly an unreasonable one… but it was a good excuse for them to spend the night together.

“I’d like that,” Shane responded, a blush staining his cheeks. He took Harvey’s hand, and the two of them headed back to Harvey’s apartment to spend the night in each other’s company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I directly copy yet another heart event? Yes. Yes, I did. xD At least I 100% know that that part's in character haha!!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for this chapter for referenced child death. Not a main character, no worries, Jas and Vincent are safe. :)

As the days marched on, it soon became time for the summertime Luau, in which the whole of Stardew Valley gathered to create a strange hodge podge soup filled with ingredients from all over town in order to try and impress the Governor. For Marnie, every year was the same — she provided some fresh, high-quality cream from the cow she deemed to be the best producer that year in order to create a base for the soup. This year, Shane actually planned to participate. The special blue chickens he had been breeding had the most rich, golden yolks he had ever seen in his life, so with Marnie’s help, he would supply the egg noodles for the soup that year. He was incredibly excited to share the bounty of his chickens’ eggs with the Valley, which took him by surprise, as back when he was in the throes of his addiction, he wanted very little to do with the Valley and its residents. Truly, things had changed for the better.

Shane was testing out his egg noodles by making some chicken noodle soup when he heard the knock at the kitchen door. Curious, he went over, opening it to see Harvey there, a bouquet in hand.

“Hey,” Harvey greeted with a blush. “I just realized… I never made things official between us Stardew Valley style. So… will you be my boyfriend, Shane…?” He offered the bundle of flowers to the man, smiling nervously, as if they weren’t already together.

Shane couldn’t help but chuckle at Harvey’s clear nervousness. “I think you already know the answer to that, doc.” He took the flowers, then brought Harvey into a gentle kiss. “I’m gonna go grab a vase to put these in. Would you like to stay for dinner…? The soup is almost ready.”

“So,  _ that’s _ what that delicious smell is, huh?” Harvey asked with a smile as Shane rummaged through the cabinets for a suitable vase. “Did you make it yourself?”

“With Marnie’s help,” Shane admitted, pulling a vase out and filling it with water and dumping a Floralife packet into it, stirring it before removing the bouquet from its wrappings and putting it into the vase, arranging it to his liking. “It’s a trial run before the Luau, actually. This year, I’m gonna be putting in egg noodles made from my hens’ eggs, and I needed to make sure I had the recipe down before I went ahead and used it for the Luau. Wouldn’t want to disappoint the Governor, after all.” He paused, frowning slightly. “I heard horror stories about Sam dumping a pound of anchovies in one year… I hope he doesn’t pull that stunt again this year. I’d hate for the noodles to not be appreciated because of that.”

“Don’t worry… he learned his lesson from that after Mayor Lewis made him do community service for the rest of that year,” Harvey chuckled warmly. “He won’t be pulling  _ that _ stunt again any time soon. I’m sure everyone will  _ love _ your noodles.”

Shane put the flowers down on the table, smiling at them before looking at Harvey. “Thank you… for both the encouragement  _ and _ the bouquet.” He approached Harvey, hugging him. “You’re really too good to me… What did I ever do to deserve someone as amazing as you?”

“What you did was be yourself— the amazing man that you are,” Harvey responded, kissing Shane’s cheek. “I think that makes you deserving of the world.”

“Stop, you’re gonna make me blush,” Shane chuckled, cheeks tinged pink.

Suddenly, Jas came in, having just gotten home from her playdate with Vincent. She was curious where the adults had wandered off to, and she didn’t have to look any farther than the kitchen. She was quick to notice the beautiful bouquet sitting on the table, and she gasped, eyes lighting up like twinkling Christmas lights.   
  


“Uncle Shane…!!” Jas giggled, looking up at him excitedly. “Did Doctor Harvey give these to you?! Miss Penny says that herein the Valley, whenever someone gives someone else a bouquet of flowers, that means that they’re dating and in love!! Are you dating Doctor Harvey?!”

Harvey blushed at being called out by the eight-year-old, while Shane just laughed, nodding.

“Yes, Harvey did give me those,” Shane admitted with a fond smile. “And yes, we are dating. Are you alright with that, little fairy rose?” He picked her up, much to the dismay of his back, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “I wanna check with my little princess and make sure she approves.”

“Hmm…” Jas pretended to think about it, looking over at Harvey, who waved bashfully at the child. “Weeell… as long as he promises to treat you like a prince, and if we can all go to the zoo together sometimes, then I think that’s ok!!”

Shane laughed, nuzzling Jas lovingly. “I think that’s perfect, then. Because he  _ does _ treat me like a prince. And I have no problem going to the zoo with my two favorite people.”

“I certainly wouldn’t be opposed to going to the zoo either,” Harvey said with a fond smile. “It’s been far too long since I’ve been. What’s your favorite animal, Jas?”

“Hmm…” Jas bit her lip in contemplation. She then grinned. “I like the parrots!! Just like Miss Emily’s bird!! It’s weird that her bird doesn’t have a name, though. I call him Mr. Feathers, but she says that he doesn’t have a name because she respects him. But I think he deserves a name.” She then looked at Harvey curiously. “What’s  _ your _ favorite animal?”

“I’m pretty fond of the birds too! But I prefer the birds of prey, like the hawks and owls,” Harvey said, eyes sparkling. Ah, the joy of being asked whimsical questions by a child! “But any birds at all are wonderful.”

Jas grinned brightly at the answer. “That’s cool! Birds are really neat!! Their feathers are so pretty… I like to collect them and put them in a scrapbook! I even have some of Mr. Feathers’ feathers in my scrapbook!!”

“You’ll have to show me sometime!” Harvey said with a chuckle.

Shane smiled tenderly as the two interacted. “So, Jas… are you ready to try out my egg noodles for dinner?”

Jas’ eyes widened in surprise. “You made dinner tonight?” She lit up excitedly. “I can’t wait to taste it!!” She was more than thrilled that Shane was starting to cook more often. Home-cooked meals weren’t a common thing in their home before Shane got sober, but now that Shane had cleaned up his act, he was starting to cook more and more, and Jas couldn’t be happier.

Shane couldn’t help but chuckle at his daughter’s enthusiasm. She was far too cute for her own good.

“Yep, I’m trying to perfect my egg noodle recipe so I can put a batch into the soup pot at the Luau,” Shane informed her. “This is the first year that I’m actually going to be participating, so I want to make my contribution as good as I possibly can!”

Jas gasped, grinning. Shane  _ never _ participated in community events! This was truly a sign that things were changing for the better in Shane’s life. She hugged Shane tightly, giggling.

“Are the eggs in the recipe from the special chickens?” Jas asked curiously.

“Special chickens?” Harvey parroted, quirking a brow and chuckling. “What kind of special chickens are you keeping, Shane?”

Shane blushed, embarrassed to have been called out on his “special chickens”. He took a deep breath, asking Harvey, “Can you keep a secret?” When Harvey nodded, Shane took his hand, leading him out to the coop where he kept the blue chickens. He looked at Harvey seriously.

“What you’re about to see doesn’t leave here,” Shane said sternly. “I’m not sure when I’m gonna reveal this to the public, but I’ve got a special breeding program going on for a new color of chicken, one that breeds true for the color I’m going for without the massive amount of inbreeding that’s usually involved with getting a breed of animal to breed true. These are my babies. I’ve been working on the project ever since I moved in with Marnie.”

“My lips are sealed, Shane,” Harvey replied seriously. “You can trust me.”

Satisfied with that, Shane opened the door to the coop and led Harvey in. He called for the chickens, and when they came running, Harvey was quite surprised to see that they sported brilliant sapphire plumage that seemed almost iridescent in the light. Never before had he seen such beautiful chickens!

“These are my special blue chickens,” Shane said with a fond smile, gesturing to the chickens broadly. “I’ve been developing them for quite a while. Their eggs have the richest, most golden yolks I’ve ever seen! They’re a million times better than those pale, sickly Joja eggs.”   
  
Shane picked up the one white chicken that was in the coop, nuzzling her gently. “And this here is Charlie. She’s the one who started my love of chickens. Marnie gave her to me when she was just an egg, to test my capability of raising a farm animal on my own. She’s not used in the breeding program… I have a separate coop I use for breeding. Otherwise, the chickens stay here, away from the roosters, so we don’t end up with any accidental fertilization.”

Harvey chuckled, a fond smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “They’re  _ beautiful, _ Shane.  _ All  _ of them, including the lovely Miss Charlie. But I have to ask… why is this such a big secret? Wouldn’t you want the world to know about these incredible chickens?”

Shane shrugged, blushing and stroking Charlie’s soft feathers for reassurance. “I… I dunno. I’m trying to perfect them before I show them off to the public. I don’t want to get in over my head if people decide they want to buy them. It’s a small breeding program… I’m afraid that I’d get overwhelmed if I tried to sell them.”

Harvey frowned in concern, putting a hand on Shane’s shoulder. “You know… you could always start small. You could have people sign up on a waiting list, and sell the chicks as they’re hatched. Just like a dog breeder! There’s no rush to make this into a big business. Everyone has to start somewhere.”

Shane nodded in understanding. “Thank you, Harvey… I’ll consider it. Maybe if the egg noodles go over well at the Luau, I can tell everyone where exactly the eggs came from.”

“That’s the spirit!” Harvey cheered with a broad smile. He then got a pensive look on his face. “So, what inspired you to start breeding these little guys anyway?”

Shane took a deep breath, getting very serious all of a sudden. “I… Well, I won’t be living here forever, and I wanted to pass something on to Jas. I’ve been teaching her how to care for them, just like Marnie taught me when I was her age.” He paused, sighing. “...I want to feel like I’m not just a leech on the world. I want to contribute somehow, even in a small way like this.”

Harvey gave Shane a nervous look. “What do you mean you won’t be living here forever? Do you plan on moving somewhere, or…?” His mind drifted to a more grim place, and it struck fear into his heart.

Shane took Harvey’s hand to reassure him. “I’m not a danger to myself, if that’s what you’re thinking. Not anymore, anyway. It’s just…” He sighed sadly. “When you lose someone close to you… like my brother and my sister-in-law… especially at such a young age, in such an unexpected way? You start thinking about your own mortality.”

Harvey let out a breath of relief, nodding. “...I understand where you’re coming from.” He frowned, getting a distant look in his eyes. “When I was a new doctor, working in Zuzu City… it was a fast-paced job. You barely had a moment to  _ think _ . But then, I lost my first patient.” He shook his head, sighing. “There was truly nothing I could’ve done. She was a young girl, about six or so. She had been in the pediatric oncology ward on and off for months. She had an aggressive form of bone cancer.” He winced at the thought of it. “It’s not a pretty cancer. It can look like the bone itself is as thorny as a hedgehog, with the kind of growths she had. And like I said, there was nothing I, or anyone else, could have done. It had spread across her thigh bone despite our best efforts, and though we amputated the leg to try and keep it from getting any worse… metastases started popping up all over her body. Her poor little body was just _ riddled  _ with cancer.”

He paused, taking a deep breath as tears welled up in his eyes. “The night before she died… she was terrified to go to bed. It was a slow night, so I stayed with her and her father and talked to her as she watched her favorite movies on the hospital TV, since her mother had gone home to care for the other children and the girl needed comfort. She was so scared to let herself close her eyes… but eventually, she got too tired and fell asleep. Before she fell asleep, she had asked me to stay, and so I stayed. I was her favorite doctor, because I was the most gentle with needles, so she was comforted by me being there. I slept in the hospital chair, holding her hand. I woke up to an alarm that let me know that she had stopped breathing. We put her on a ventilator so her mother could come say goodbye, but… there was no brain activity by that point. She was already gone. So the mother brought the other two children up, her little brother and sister, and everybody said goodbye to her… and then we pulled the plug, so to speak.”

A few tears rolled down Harvey’s cheeks. “Her name was Jaylen. I grew to love that little girl like she was my own during the time I cared for her. And to lose her, even though we tried everything we possibly could…” He shook his head mournfully. “It sent me spiralling. It’s why I moved here. Because being a small-town doctor, I knew that the more serious cases would be sent to Zuzu. I wouldn’t have as high of a likelihood of having to watch my patients die before my eyes. I was too afraid of my patients’ inevitable eventual mortality that I just… couldn’t bear to keep working there in Zuzu. I wasn’t  _ strong _ enough.”

Shane had been stunned into silence as he listened to Harvey’s story. Never before had he realized that poor Harvey had been through something so traumatic. A pang of guilt struck Shane as he realized that during his suicidal alcohol binges, he very well could have been Harvey’s second patient that he lost. What would that have  _ done _ to Harvey? It likely would have shattered his spirit. Thank goodness Harvey had been able to save him.

Shane put Charlie down, then took Harvey into his arms, allowing Harvey to cry into his shoulder. He didn’t say anything for a good while. Right now, Harvey didn’t need his words… he just needed his comfort and warmth. Shane rubbed Harvey’s back soothingly, allowing him to cry it out.

Once Harvey’s tears had slowed, Shane began to speak in a soft voice.

“Listen to me… You did  _ everything you could _ for that little girl,” Shane began, his own voice slightly tremulous with emotion. “If Jas was sick like that, I wouldn’t want anyone else taking care of her but you. You may not have been able to save Jaylen, but you were able to give her comfort and love during her final hours. Not everyone is privileged enough to have someone care enough to stay at their bedside while they die. You stayed at her bedside, and you also stayed at mine when it wasn’t clear if I was gonna make it or not. That’s the mark of an incredible doctor and an incredible man, to have that much compassion in your heart. You are a tender-hearted, loving man, Harvey. You care about others so damn much… and I love you for that. You’re the best doctor that Stardew Valley could ever ask for.”

Harvey sniffled, Shane’s words bringing him comfort. Never before had he told anyone outside of his family about Jaylen and her death. He had been worried about professionalism, about doctor-patient confidentiality, but holding that hurt inside for so long had really taken its toll. By letting it out like this, Harvey felt that perhaps he would finally be able to start moving on from the incident. He would likely never work a fast-paced job like he had in Zuzu City, but he could stop living in fear of his patients dying under his watch, for as long as Harvey was there by their side to offer as much aid and comfort as he could, that was all that mattered at the end of the day. With a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips, Harvey wondered if perhaps _ he _ should book an appointment with a therapist.

Once Harvey had calmed himself with Shane’s assistance, Shane gave Harvey a sympathetic smile and asked, “Alright… are we ready to try those noodles now?”

Jas, from where she’d been quietly listening, jumped up and down excitedly and exclaimed, “Yes!! Yes, we are!! Dinner time, Uncle Shane!!” She ran into the kitchen, and the two adults followed her, laughing at her enthusiasm. Hopefully, the egg noodles lived up to the hype!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bone cancer is a subject close to my heart, since one of my friends died of it when we were kids. I'm sorry this chapter was so heavy... discussing the patient that Harvey references losing in-game was a bit of a whim, but since Shane has spilled his guts to Harvey, it's only fair that Harvey spills his to Shane.

**Author's Note:**

> This probably could've been a one-shot... but nope! I decided to continue!! And do I know where the plot is going? Mm... sort of? I'm basically just going off of self-indulgent whims here. I hope you guys enjoy it!!


End file.
